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 Okinawa vaccine contaminants likely from needle stick
Japan's health minister said on Tuesday it was highly likely that
foreign matter found in Moderna Inc COVID-19 vaccines in the
southern prefecture of Okinawa were caused when needles were
incorrectly inserted into vials, breaking off bits of the rubber.
"Whatever the reason (for the foreign matter) we have heard that
there is no safety or other issues," health minister Norihisa Tamura
told reporters, adding that it was not uncommon for foreign material
to enter a vial with other vaccines. "We will continue to gather
information and report back," he added.
Australia in vaccine swap pact with Singapore
Australia will receive 500,000 doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine
from Singapore this week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on
Tuesday, after Canberra agreed a swap deal in a bid to curtail
surging coronavirus infections.
The agreement, which will see Australia return the same amount of
Pfizer vaccine doses to Singapore in December, will allow Canberra
to accelerate its vaccination programme as daily cases near record
levels for the country.
South Korea to begin offering booster shots in October
South Korea plans to begin giving out COVID-19 booster shots from
October, joining several countries that have approved such doses
amid resurgent infections and concern that vaccine protection wanes
over time.
Initial booster doses will go to those with weakened immune systems
or deemed to be at high risk. Others will receive them six months
after full vaccination, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention
Agency said.
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 South Africa detects new
variant, still studying mutations
South African scientists have detected a new
coronavirus variant with multiple mutations but
are yet to establish whether it is more
contagious or able to overcome the immunity
provided by vaccines or prior infection.
The new variant, known as C.1.2, was first detected in May and has
now spread to most South African provinces and to seven other
countries in Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania, according to research
which is yet to be peer-reviewed.
EU drops U.S. from list of COVID-safe countries for travel
European Union governments agreed on Monday to remove the United
States from the EU's safe travel list, meaning U.S. visitors and
those from five other countries are likely to face tighter controls,
such as COVID-19 tests and quarantines.
Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, and North Macedonia have also
been taken off. The list seeks to unify travel rules across the
bloc, although it does not bind individual EU nations, which are
free to determine their own border policies.
(Compiled by Karishma Singh; Editing by Kim Coghill)
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